RUMOR: SEVERAL TEAMS ARE INTERESTED IN J.A. HAPP

It was a rocky season for J.A. Happ. He started off shaky, got better but also had some obvious frustration with his role on the Yankees. The Yankees were treading on a dangerous line of mediocrity so I wrote HAPP ISN'T HAPPY & I DON'T CARE because I was over the distraction. There was a lot of drama this season, and now it may continue into the winter.

The Yankees have several areas to improve on for next season, and pitching is an area of concern. Behind Gerrit Cole there is a giant question mark. Who are the next four starters behind him? After reading a weekend full of trade rumors I have to wonder....is Happ going to be part of the Yankees pitching plan? Maybe not.

The Angels are Rangers would be interesting landing places for Happ.

The Angels pitching staff finished with the third-worst ERA in the American League at 5.09 ERA. The Angels new General Manager Perry Minasian is familiar with Happ because they spent time together with the Toronto Blue Jays and adding another familiar face to the team could help the team move forward. The Angels are the team that can never get Mike Trout to the playoffs is constantly in need of starting pitching. Minasian said that pitching will be the top priority of the team so it sounds like their new GM is ready to make a splash, and if Happ is still upset about his usage during the 2020 season he may appreciate a new opportunity on the West Coast.

The Rangers also struggled with their rotation and finished near the bottom of the American League with a 5.02 ERA. The Rangers are in a rebuild mode and are still a few years away from being contenders again. 2021 will be the last year in Lance Lynn's contract and have to figure out what

to do going into the season. Adding a veteran like Happ to the rotation could be what they need to help rebuild their team and add some needed leadership.

We can't forget about the Blue Jays. Honestly they are the team I am going to watch closely this winter. They will probably be one of MLB's most aggressive teams this winter, and they are rumored to be interested in a reunion. Happ had two prior stints with the Blue Jays and was an All-Star for them back in 2018. The Blue Jays already addressed one hold in their rotation by signing Robbie Ray but they are still looking for more to add behind ace Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Blue Jays gave us a run for our money last season, and they think Happ could do it again. I don't think the argument of "they are in the same division it will never happen" matters as much as it used to. I think anything is possible especially now in a pandemic world - I just don't think the Yankees would want to give him up unless the Blue Jays are willing to stupidly overpay for him.

So will Happ still be a Yankee next season? I really didn't think about before. I guess anything could happen, but it's hard to imagine unless the Yankees make some good pitching upgrades. 

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

YOU GOT ALL WORKED UP FOR NOTHING

We ended up with JA Happ.  No Machado. No Harper. No Syndergaard. No nothing.  The Twitter experts don't know anything as we stated here on BYB. Just a lot of hot air.  Do we want a few big names? Sure we do. I for one would like to secure David Robertson and Ottavino. I stated that yesterday on Twitter.

I’d love @DRob30 and Ottavino. Just sayin’ #BYB

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) December 13, 2018

That being said, I have no knowledge they will... and that's the thing. It's all speculation and guesses. And in the end, the Yankees' Brian Cashman spent a week in Vegas and walked away with a familiar face... JA Happ.  And we all look like fools.  Many of your "sourced" stories were stupid. Face it... many of you know absolutely nothing. As my kids will tell me when I fill in for their mom on lunches or drop-offs at school... "You're doing it wrong."

On a side note, my favorite tweet was Andrew McCutchen, who quietly signed a 3 year deal with the Phillies.  It may have been the funniest video Tweet I've seen in a long time.

That moment you reportedly sign a new $50 Million deal with the Phillies 😂😂😂

(via @TheCUTCH22) pic.twitter.com/IisNuHKS0D

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 11, 2018

Love that dude. I wish him well.

And yes, Lance Lynn is on his way to the Rangers... but who cares. He was the Jaime Garcia of 2018. No one wanted the guy... we just needed him "in case".

Now look, there's no question Cashman laid the groundwork.  There's no question that moves will happen eventually. But what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... until it's revealed at a later date.
We are seeing this now with Cash... the stealth genius.

Yankees need a few things. I personally love the Happ deal. But I do wonder if he'll pitter out at some point.  Did I want a more successful starter? I did, but I'm a fan, not an owner. I root for the uniform. It is what it is.

With the securing of Happ, the Yankees have now pivoted and rumors are flying that now they want to secure their pen.  No more starters... it's about relievers now... keep up. That's why I liked the idea of Robertson and Ottavino.

Bolster that pen. Make it unstoppable and more importantly, do NOT let DRob go to the Red Sox or the Mets.

If I had to predict, which I hate to do, I feel like a big fish is coming, but I don't know who that is.  The Yankees still have Sonny Gray I'm pretty sure he won't be there on opening day.

Will the Yankees get Machado? I doubt it.  But will the Yankees get Tulowitzki?  Makes better sense believe it or not.  That's usually how the Yankees operate. Plus, with Didi coming back, it makes better financial sense.  The downside? Troy gets hurt like...all the time... so I'm not sure it's smart. But there is no question that the Yankees are thinking about it.

But what else will happen? Let's be honest... NO IDEA.

And you know what? When it happens, we at Bleeding Yankee Blue will tell you.  We're not going to make up stories or get crazy. We will give it to you straight.

Enjoy your Friday. Don't get crazy. You've getting yourself all worked up for nothing.

YANKEE PITCHING UPDATES & MISHAPPS!

MisHAPP....get it?

Photo: New York Daily News

Happ likes it. In this picture he's smiling at me.

Anyway... last night Ken Rosenthal took a rare swing and a miss with J.A. Happ. It was reported that Happ signed a three-year deal to return to the Bronx, but later he retracted his statement. It happens, even Rosenthal is human. No biggie.

I've seen multiple reports out there that Happ is holding out for a third year, and is willing to sign with the first team to offer it to him. It is rumored that he has a few two-year offers on the table from other contending teams.

Photo: Yahoo Sports

Happ did pitch well last season, especially against the AL East so him holding out for a third year isn't hard to understand from his point of view. The real question is, should the Yankees feel comfortable giving him that third year he's looking for or are the Yankees just being cheap?

Some sources believe a Happ deal can still happen even without that third year.

I am not eager to give Happ a third year, but then again I am not eager to miss out on another starting pitcher either. The Yankees already missed out on deals with two of the top two starters this season due to ONE year. It's odd to see the Yankees get outbid on a guy, especially over one extra year, but it has already happened twice in this young offseason.

Photo: NBC Sports

The Yankees maxed out their offer on Patrick Corbin at five years but he signed for six. The Yankees didn't want to go beyond three years on Nathan Eovaldi, but Boston gave him four. It's only December, but one year has been a deal breaker for the Yankees so far....will it continue? The Phillies are also in on Happ, too. Will they give Happ the third year? They also lost out on Corbin, so maybe they are feeling extra aggressive.

Photo: New York Post

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with Happ, and if Joel Sherman is right. One thing we know definitely won't be happening is a reunion with Lance Lynn. He just signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers.

I'm surprised Lynn got a three-year deal....and that he got $30 million after his struggles last season. I was thinking Lynn might get to years at $15-16 million. Lynn struggles (a lot) and gets three years, but Happ hasn't yet. Did the Rangers out-bid themselves or is a three-year deal just going to be the minimal going rate?

Photo: USA Today Sports

Oh and in case you liked Charlie Morton, he's no longer an option either. He just signed with the Tampa Bay Rays, so we'll be seeing a lot of him.

So if the Yankees do miss out on Happ, who is next? Dallas Keuchel? We already know THE BRAVES WANT KEUCHEL. DO THE YANKEES? It's a good question. The big names are disappearing, and after Happ the list gets shorter. It would be nice to not have to bat against him anymore. He's willing, he's able and he's proven in the postseason. I think more teams should have shown more interest in him by now.

Can't forget the bullpen either. There have been a lot of rumors out there, and if there is any merit to some of these a reunion with Zach Britton or David Robertson could be bleak.

The Yankees did meet with Adam Ottavino's agent last night. He's a local boy that would be dynamite to help strengthen the bullpen. Oh and he says he would strike Babe Ruth out "every time," read more HERE. Hey, at least he doesn't lack confidence.

It's definitely early, but if the Yankees want to make the necessary improvements to win a championship we NEED the pitching. It sucks losing a guy, especially over one-year. I don't think it becomes a pattern though, at least I hope not. If it does the list gets way too short and names like Gio Gonzalez rise to the top, and that scares me.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj 

YANKS GOT 99 PROBLEMS & BOONE IS 1

He almost had me, but now I take it back.

Photo: Getty Images

I've been critical of Aaron Boone all season. I admit, I have also been more critical than some other BYB writers but a week ago I finally gave Boone some props. I give credit when credit is due and the Wild Card game was well played and managed. Unfortunately, that's where it stopped. It was just a brief moment for me, personally.

Photo: Getty Images

I've had an entire day to stew on Tuesday nights loss. No Yankee fan likes losing, ever but this was not a typical loss. I don't understand how Boone could leave his starters in too long on back to back nights when they are visibly struggling. It's not something that should happen in the playoffs, especially in elimination games. Alex Cora didn't do it. Joe Girardi wouldn't have done it.....NOBODY does it. It blows my mind! The Red Sox didn't win 108 games by accident. This was a good team that Boone SHOULDN'T have wanted to give extra opportunities to. It was a rookie manager suicide mission.

Photo: Getty Images

Someone needs to sit down with Boone this winter and go over some things like:

1. Luis Severino was throwing meatballs on Monday. He should've been yanked instead of letting him pitch in the fourth inning.

Photo: Getty Images

2. Even worse, letting Lance Lynn come into the 4th inning with bases loaded and no outs. That's the LAST person Boone should've put in the game.

3. Why repeat Monday night again this time with CC Sabathia? Leaving him in the third inning seemed like a bad idea right from the start! How dense can you be?

Photo: Getty Images

4. Boone has a double standard for defense. We all know blocking is an issue for Gary Sanchez, yet he was catcher in every single postseason game. Meanwhile, Miguel Andujar started in four postseason games and Boone pulls him early in the two games they won for a better defensive replacement. He is no more a defensive liability than Sanchez is. What manager pulls their starter for a defensive replacement in the SIXTH inning?! I don't think I have ever seen that kind of "logic" before.

5. Why the hell would you bench Andujar for game 4? He is one of your best extra base hitters and he's not in the lineup! It makes no sense at all in a do or die game.

I could list A LOT more than that, but this post would become a novel. The last two games have done nothing but convince me that Boone just doesn't know how to manage. I've had numerous conversations over the last day about this. Some people gave a lot of credit to Boone handling all of the injuries. Okay, fine....but that is part of the game.

Photo: Getty Images

You mean to tell me Girardi didn't have a ton of injuries to handle when he was manager? Come on. We had a lot of injuries last year too but we managed to make it ONE game away from the World Series with only 91 wins. It's more than just injuries. Then I was talking with people who wanted to "grade" Boone's first season as a manager. I heard a lot of "B" and even some "A" answers and I think people are confusing management skills with player performance. There is a difference.

Photo: Getty Images

The Yankees won 100 games this season and set a record for home runs. That is a fantastic achievement on its own, but I cannot attribute those wins to Boone's great management skills. This team was inherited by Boone. It was handed to him gift wrapped and topped with a big shiny bow after acquiring Giancarlo Stanton.

Photo: Getty Images

Any manager would love to walk into this gig with a stacked lineup and a young stud like Aaron Judge to pencil into the lineup every game. Anyone who won this managerial job was going to be expected to take this group of talented players and get to the World Series again. The fact that the Yankees won 100 games says more about the talent Boone inherited than his own management skills. This team is stacked, it achieved based on its talent.....not because Boone had genius strategy and executed it well.

Photo: Getty Images

Boone was clearly out-managed by Alex Cora and I would go so far as to say it was an embarrassment to the organization. Boone is here because of his legendary walk-off homer again Tim Wakefield in 2003. That moment had magic but his postseason moments were full of blunders. It was clear to see Cora's experience has helped him get to this point.

Photo: Getty Images

He learned a lot and I think he will have a long, successful manager career. I can't say the same for Boone. Hopefully Boone will prove me wrong and take the next six months to reflect on that so we don't have these same blunders going forward.

I think the Yankees took on a lot of risk by hiring a manager with no experience and it ended in an epic failure. I want to believe in the Yankees vision with Boone as manager....but I can't. The fundamentals are missing here. The Yankees are going to be competitive for years to come. The Yankees are too good to treat this managerial position like a first entry level job out of college. But somehow, that's what we got.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Nyprincessj

IT'S ALL OR NOTHING

Source: Getty Images North America

The Yankees gave it everything they had...I think.  The 16-1 game on Tuesday night just about killed me.  I saw a manager give up; not thinking there was anything to salvage and placing everything on a good showing at the elimination game last night.  That strategy back fired on the 2018 Yankees and we as fans were disappointed with a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox closing out the American League Division Series and the 2018 Major League Baseball Season for the New York Yankees.

Source: Getty Images

Among the disappointments in this series against our division rival Red Sox are Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino.  No excuses.  They just were not able to perform.  I can give Torres a pass as a rookie but the others, I am sorry, there are no excuses (including what time is game time in Game 3: Sevy, consult a schedule for God's sake).  According to MLB.com, "While the players disperse for the offseason -- and in the case of the team's nine potential free agents, possibly longer than that -- and the final four teams vie for the World Series crown, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will hold his organizational meetings to formulate a plan for the offseason."

Source: Getty Images North America

It is very likely that all of the players who disappointed us will be back for more next year, "but guys like Lance Lynn, Adeiny Hechavarria and Neil Walker aren't likely to figure prominently in the offseason plans," reports MLB.com.  Recall the poor management decision to put Lynn into a game three that turned into the biggest nightmare for the Yankees, leading into last night's sense of urgency that wasn't. And that is the kind of style of play we saw the Yankees demonstrate throughout the ALDS Series.  Boone seems to personify this kind of blahsay attitude for the team, which likely rubs off on them on the field.

Source: AP

Here is what leaves me shaking my head:  Why was rookie of the year candidate Miguel Andujar sitting the bench in this Game 4?  Why would you allow Neil Walker come up to the plate with the bases loaded in the 9th inning and not pinch hit the rookie sensation?  "It was more CC and Porcello on the mound,’’ Boone said. “We loved that matchup. It’s probably how we would have done it even a few days ago,” reported the NY Post.  I wish Boone would just pay attention to more than stats and even stand up for himself against Cashman.  Sure, Andujar could be a better third baseman and I think he could be, eventually, but what he did this season, exceeding our expectations was worth the chance of his bat instead of Walker's in the lineup last night.  Or how about this?  Sit Stanton.  Now that is an idea.  And one more thing...just about last night...why didn't Aaron Judge leap for that Christian Vazquez home run like we have seen him do time and time again in that short porch, his short porch in right field?  Not sure I understand what happened there.

Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

Fans told me to not write a sappy post today about this being a successful year.  Okay, it's not sappy, but we did earn 100 wins, break the regular season home run record and put up a potential rookie of the year for the second year in a row.  Aaron Boone rolled the dice since coming back to NY for a series gone bad.  And his hunches were way off base.  Next steps, regroup, retool and refine.  Could Sevy and Sanchez be gone? Andujar? Gregorius? Clearly, we need to make a change.  Maybe the change is the manager who seems to have no grit or sense of urgency.  We have several months to speculate.

Source: The YES Network

The Winter Meetings are in Las Vegas on December 9th, just under two months from today.  Here's hoping we can fix this thing and by the way, I need to change my lock screen, "Chase for 28" for a while as I get over these horrible two days of Yankee mayhem.  I know it's not the best news of the day, but it's not sappy, it's real, which is what we are about here at BYB.  Looking forward to further discussion and interesting perspectives during a long hard off season.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE GREAT WILD CARD STARTER DEBATE

Photo: Getty Images

The Wild Card game is two weeks away, and I don't want to believe it. This season has gone by far too fast. We aren't in the Wild Card game yet but, barring a complete and epic disastrous collapse we will be. It's not too early to start thinking about this....so who should the Yankees trust to start this one game win or go home game?

The A's don't have the hard choice that we do. I feel like their choice of starting pitcher is reasonably already made. Now that Sean Manaea is out for shoulder surgery, I assume the A's will likely start Mike Fiers. He has the experience and he's probably the best guy for the job. The Yankees though? You can probably make a case or two for all of them.....except Lance Lynn. I think it's safe to assume his performance has pitched his way out of that consideration. So, what about the others?

Photo: Getty Images

1. CC Sabathia

Why he is deserving: Seriously, I don't think CC has been given enough credit because he has been good this year. Some people I have talked to disagree but it is hard to argue against his 3.80 ERA in 142 innings with a bad knee! I think that says a lot about him. The last three years he has put up very similar numbers and even better ones than years previous. He is a pitcher that is adapting well as he ages. He still fools hitters. His experience in the postseason will continue to be huge for the Yankees. He's pitched in A LOT of big games, if anyone can handle the pressure....he can.

Why he may not be the best choice: CC hasn't been as effective since returning from the disabled list. Not to mention the A's roughed him up pretty good earlier this month. I'd say the A's got a really good look at him so that might not be the best move.

Photo: Getty Images

2. Masahiro Tanaka

Why he is deserving: Tanaka has been on fire lately! He looks completely different then the start of the season. He's been the Yankees best starter now for the last couple of months and been consistent while others have struggled. I also can't forget what he accomplished last year in the postseason, he was unstoppable. Also something to consider....the A's haven't faced Tanaka this season so they haven't had a good look at him. So, advantage Yankees?

Why he may not be the best choice: Tanaka is very home run prone. If the Yankees win home field advantage this could be a problem since the A's can hit the long ball. They are second in home runs hit this season, just after the Yankees. Tanaka excels by getting hitters to chase out of the zone. He's very good at using his sliders and splitters to expand the zone and the A's do not chase after pitches. If Tanaka uses that approach the A's could lay off those pitches and back Tanaka into some really bad counts. His approach has been very successful against other teams....but it probably wouldn't work against the A's thanks to their plate discipline.

Photo: Getty Images

3. Luis Severino

Why he is deserving: He is crazy talented and had a dominant first half. For a while his name was in early talks for Cy Young. When he is on, batters can't catch up to him. He limits balls put in play and he throws hard. He put up good numbers last season and has the experience.

Why he may not be the best choice: He's been inconsistent and ineffective since the All-Star break. It's hard to ignore the past couple of months. His command is off, he has lost his slider completely. It's not unreasonable to say that Severino has been one of the worst pitchers in the second half and his downward spiral couldn't have come at a worse time considering how poorly the Yankees have played for awhile now. The most concerning point for me, his worst appearance of the season came against the A's. He wasn't fooling the A's at all. Why should the Yankees expect a different result? Would it be wise to play him again in a one game playoff? I'm having a hard time saying yes.

Photo: Getty Images

4. J.A. Happ

Why he is deserving: Let's face it....the Yankees got everything they could have asked from him. He's been reliable and he's put up some damn good numbers. He faced the A's earlier this month and only allowed one run in six innings. He's proven he can handle the A's and our toughest division rivals. He's been great in the regular season, I don't see him cracking under postseason pressure.

Why he may not be deserving: I really can't think of a lot of negatives. I guess my biggest concerns would be playing the A's again. They would see him twice in less than a month which motivates them to prepare for round two and study. The more often hitters get to look at a pitcher, the more advantages it gives them. Maybe more concerning, Happ is a fly ball pitcher. The A's are among league leaders in runs scored and home runs as mentioned before and that could be a dangerous combination, especially if the game is home.

I'm not sure who Aaron Boone is going to trust with the ball here. It's a tough choice that will be highly scrutinized in a one game playoff. I don't think I could pick just yet. Do you have a favorite to start the wild card game? Comment and tell us why.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Nyprincessj